One of the first signs of the imminent onset of labor is the loss of amniotic fluid. But the waters do not always recede on their own; there are cases where this process is delayed and the obstetrician-gynecologist himself has to violate the integrity of the bladder in which the fetus is located. At the same time, he carefully looks at the shade and other characteristics of the liquid. Normally, they are transparent, but if the doctor observes green waters during childbirth, then one should be wary; they can have negative consequences for the newborn, although this does not always happen.

Cause of green waters during childbirth

Gynecologists are sounding the alarm. Lately Cases that are caused by green water during childbirth have become more frequent and this problem is becoming global. It is not known how much this will affect general development fetus in the mother's womb. But there is no need to panic, since the causes of green water during childbirth are different and differ in the degree of impact on the body. It is worth noting that until the end this problem has not been studied and is currently being tested.

What are the causes of green waters during childbirth?

• In most cases greenish or dark color amniotic fluid is associated with the ingress of original fetal feces (meconium) into them. Fecal matter may be released due to a lack of oxygen in the baby in the mother's womb or stressful situation during childbirth.
• This may also occur when a mother carries her child to term. At this stage, the placenta simply stops doing its job.
• Infectious and colds during pregnancy can also cause green water during childbirth.
• Genetic pathology of the fetus, but such cases are quite rare.
• Green water during childbirth can also be caused by the food that the woman in labor ate the day before. This color can give Apple juice or eating fresh green peas. There is no clear confirmation of this, but one should not discount this option.

Why do green waters appear during childbirth?

An experienced obstetrician-gynecologist can judge by the shade of amniotic fluid how close to normal the pregnancy was.

Sometimes expectant mothers experience green water during childbirth. Most women in labor immediately begin to panic when they see opaque liquid. You shouldn’t do this, because panic can only aggravate the process of the baby’s birth.

Table big diagram
baby inside measurements
pain observation development
pregnant mother drinking

It is the discharge of amniotic fluid that is a sign of the upcoming birth of the baby. Sometimes the fluid goes away on its own, but in some cases the amniotic sac has to be punctured. At this point, doctors discover an unusual state of amniotic fluid.

Usually a woman pours out clear waters. But, if there is any violation, then their color changes. Let's take a closer look at why a woman sometimes has green water during childbirth and how dangerous this is for her and the baby.

Water broke

Reasons for this problem

A good doctor always talks not only about the consequences, but also about the reasons why green water appears during childbirth. For modern obstetric practice, such phenomena are not uncommon, so experts are beginning to talk about an alarming trend. But don't panic if this happens to you.

First you need to find out why you developed green water during childbirth. The reasons for their occurrence are different, but they are not always dangerous to health. By the way, doctors have not yet fully studied this phenomenon, so it is not always possible to reliably find out why women have alarming green waters during childbirth. The following reasons are identified:

• the emergence of a danger of hypoxia due to insufficient oxygen in the womb;
• the baby’s anus begins to contract, so the original feces are released, which colors the water;
• amniotic fluid may change color when the gestational age is longer than normal and the placenta ages;
• pathology can develop when during pregnancy a woman suffered from a sexually transmitted or cold infection; inflammation of the bladder, bronchitis and ARVI can cause infection of the intrauterine fluid;
• pathology manifests itself due to genetic abnormalities during the development of the baby, however, these violations occur quite rarely;
• sometimes the phenomenon is observed due to the stress that the baby has suffered; a tiny child is very susceptible, therefore he can excrete feces, which will color the waters greenish;
• another reason for this problem may lie in the diet of the expectant mother; the color changes if the day before she drank apple juice or ate fresh peas, keep in mind that these are only medical assumptions, but they are also worth taking note of.

What actions need to be taken

If your water breaks green during labor, you should call your doctor right away. It is necessary to act immediately, but do not panic, because stress and incorrect actions can cause oxygen starvation in the child. This will cause quite serious harm to the baby. Also find out how to do it.

When a woman has green water during childbirth, the doctor must clear the airways as soon as the baby's head appears. When the phenomenon happened already during strong contractions, there is no need to worry. Usually in this case a completely healthy child is born.

IN similar situations The doctor must perform a CTG on the woman and listen to the fetal heartbeat in order to notice possible hypoxia in time. When a child suffers, obstetricians take all measures to end the birth process as quickly as possible. The most important thing is not to delay when your green water breaks at the very beginning of childbirth.

Under no circumstances should you sit at home and wait for contractions, as there is a risk of intrauterine infection. We urgently need to call a car and go to the maternity hospital.

During pregnancy, it is advisable to find photos of green waters on Internet sites, so as not to be mistaken during childbirth. You will know exactly what they look like and in what case you need to sound the alarm. When amniotic fluid is released, you should try to remember its smell, approximate volume and time of release. This information will need to be provided to the obstetrician who will see you at the maternity hospital.

Start of labor

If you were planning a home birth, but your green or brown water broke, you will have to seek help from medical workers. When the amniotic fluid changes color, but the birth process for a long time does not start, most often the doctor decides to caesarean section.

What consequences does the problem cause?

First of all, when you have a green labor during childbirth, you need to think about the consequences for the child, which can be quite serious. The fetus constantly interacts with the amniotic fluid for 9 months. During the first months, he absorbs it through the body, and at the end of pregnancy he swallows it with his mouth.

Before birth, the baby pushes fluid out of his mouth, so it no longer enters his lungs. However, if the consequence of green water that appeared during childbirth is hypoxia, the baby may swallow the contaminated liquid. This will affect his health and well-being.

The appearance of green waters

When your baby swallows green amniotic fluid during birth, you urgently need to clear the respiratory causes. However, due to the content of meconium in the liquid, problems with ventilation of the lungs may arise, so the child simply will not be able to take an independent breath. In this case, immediately after the birth of the baby's head, the doctor stops pushing to clear the airways. Thus, when your water appears green during labor, your baby may develop hypoxia - a lack of oxygen. The phenomenon can provoke the following consequences:

• muscle hypertonicity;
• constant unreasonable regurgitation;
• anxiety, sleep disturbance;
• disorders and delays in child development.

Don’t panic right away, because it’s not a fact that your baby will suffer from the above factors. In many cases, children develop fully and do not experience any complications or abnormalities.

But, even if the birth process took place naturally and the baby was born healthy, you need to closely monitor him during the first months of life. Mom needs to do the following.

1. Urgently show the baby to a neurologist;
2. Complete all scheduled inspections without exception.

: Borovikova Olga

gynecologist, ultrasound doctor, geneticist

Throughout the entire period of intrauterine development, the child is reliably protected from external environment amniotic sac and uterine walls. The amniotic sac is filled with amniotic fluid, which comes into contact with the skin of the fetus.

There is a continuous exchange between the child’s body and the amniotic fluid; changes in the composition of the fluid reflect the condition of the fetus and at the same time affect its life processes. With some disorders, amniotic fluid loses its normal color and turn green. Why does this change occur and are green waters dangerous for a child?

What determines the color of amniotic fluid?

Amniotic fluid, or amniotic fluid, protects the fetus floating in it for many months of pregnancy. It gently envelops the baby and facilitates his movements inside the uterus, protecting him from shock. Where does this liquid medium come from and what does it consist of? Its main component is water, released from the mother’s body and accumulated in the uterine cavity. In addition to water, amniotic fluid contains other components:

• nutrients (proteins, lipids, carbohydrates);
• hormones;
• antibodies (immunoglobulins);
• particles of the epidermis of the fetus and its hair;
• particles of original lubricant;
• salt;
• child waste products.

The composition of amniotic fluid changes as the baby matures and acquires new properties. Initially, it is mainly water from the mother's body. The fruit floating in it ripens, its organs and nerve connections develop. While inside the uterus, the baby swallows water and pees.

In the second trimester, the baby's body is covered with silky hairs, which begin to fall out in the last months of pregnancy. As the baby grows, the skin undergoes renewal, accompanied by exfoliation of dead epidermis. All these waste products gradually accumulate in a confined space around the fetus.

Fluid levels during pregnancy:

• 60 milliliters at 12 weeks;
• 175 ml at 16 weeks;
• from 400 to 1200 ml between 34 and 38 weeks.

From week 36, the volume of fluid decreases and it becomes more concentrated. It is considered normal if the liquid is clear and slightly yellow. When poured out during childbirth, it may contain a small admixture of blood.

In some cases, under the influence of a number of reasons, the discharge of cloudy green amniotic fluid may occur. What does this phenomenon mean?

Why do the waters turn green?

From 12% to 20% of all births are accompanied by the rupture of green amniotic fluid. What causes green waters during childbirth? The reason the water changes color to green is meconium, which enters the amniotic fluid.

Meconium is a sticky dark green substance consisting of stomach and intestinal secretions, amniotic fluid, bile acids, bile, blood, mucus, cholesterol, pancreatic secretions, lanugo, and a curdled substance - vernix. Meconium accumulates in the fetal intestinal lumen during the third trimester and is normally released during the newborn's first bowel movement. Sometimes the baby has a bowel movement while still in the womb, in which case meconium passes into the amniotic fluid, staining it green color.

Typically, such meconium discharge is associated with various disorders in the mother-fetus system. Possible reasons meconium discharge into the amniotic space:

• intrauterine fetal hypoxia (in 70% of cases of hypoxia, meconium is found in the amniotic fluid);
• infectious diseases of the reproductive and urinary organs in a pregnant woman;
• consequences of stress on the fetus (maternal illness, severe concussion, etc.);
• early aging of the placenta;
• post-term pregnancy (over 41–42 weeks).

The most common of the listed reasons resulting in the formation muddy waters during pregnancy, there is a deficiency of oxygen in the fetus. In this condition, the tone of the child's sphincters decreases, leading to the release of meconium from the intestines. Depending on the amount of meconium released, three degrees of contamination are distinguished:

1. weak: amniotic fluid has a yellow-green or greenish tint and a transparent appearance;
2. medium: water is present in sufficient volume and can be colored khaki or green;
3. significant: the amount of amniotic fluid is less than normal, they lose their transparency, taking on the appearance of pea soup.

There are several methods for assessing the condition of amniotic fluid before birth. These methods include:

• Ultrasound (allows you to determine only the amount of water);
• amnioscopy (visual examination by transillumination);
• amniocentesis (the most accurate method for assessing fluid composition, but dangerous due to its invasiveness).

The green muddy waters have receded - what to do?

Your water usually breaks just before or during labor. If the liquid is light and clean, then there is no reason to worry. If the green water has broken, this is cause for concern. Green color is a signal indicating a problem.

As a rule, this symptom is characteristic of intrauterine fetal hypoxia: in 70% of cases of oxygen starvation, meconium is present in the amniotic fluid, and its amount is directly related to the degree of hypoxia. Obstetricians and neonatologists know this feature and examine such newborns for oxygen starvation especially carefully.

What consequences does such water threaten the fetus?

What to do if a woman in labor has passed dirty fluid with meconium (see also:)? Why is the presence of meconium in the amniotic space dangerous for mother and child? Possible complications:

• child swallowing amniotic fluid with meconium;
• aspiration and meconium contamination of the respiratory tract;
• increased risk of developing postpartum infection in the mother.

The most problematic and dangerous of these complications for a newborn is considered to be aspiration syndrome. Meconium can enter the respiratory tract of a child suffering from hypoxia while he is still in the womb or during the first breath of a newly born baby. Aspiration can lead to asphyxia and other problems. Children in this condition need medical attention immediately after birth.

Signs of meconium aspiration:

• labored breathing;
• wheezing;
• cyanosis of the skin of the newborn;
• visible tension of the rib muscles when inhaling.

The most accurate diagnostic method in this case is a plain chest x-ray. The resulting x-ray allows one to assess the amount of aspirated meconium and its location in the respiratory tract.

Associated symptoms that suggest meconium aspiration are a yellow-green coloration of the baby's skin and nails, as well as a greenish color of the separated placenta. This means that the fetus had prolonged intrauterine contact with contaminated amniotic fluid and there is a high probability of it entering the child’s respiratory tract.

Doctors’ first aid tactics depend on the severity of aspiration and may include the following measures:

• suctioning the contents of the upper respiratory tract, including the mouth, nose and throat;
• clearing the lower respiratory tract using an endotracheal tube;
• oxygen therapy through a mask or artificial ventilation.

The prognosis and final outcome of conditions caused by aspiration of green water can vary widely depending on the volume of meconium inhaled, the timeliness of assistance, and the initial condition of the child. In healthy newborns not weakened by hypoxia, with accidental aspiration of meconium, spontaneous physiological clearance of the respiratory tract from turbid amniotic fluid usually occurs, and this situation is resolved favorably, without leading to complications in the future.

In contrast, children who have experienced hypoxia are more likely to develop pathological consequences in the form of neonatal pneumonia or neurological symptoms. Such babies require complex therapy and long-term postnatal observation.

Throughout the entire period of intrauterine development, the child is reliably protected from the external environment by the fetal bladder and the walls of the uterus. The amniotic sac is filled with amniotic fluid, which comes into contact with the skin of the fetus.

There is a continuous exchange between the child’s body and the amniotic fluid; changes in the composition of the fluid reflect the condition of the fetus and at the same time affect its life processes. With some disorders, amniotic fluid loses its normal color and turns green. Why does this change occur and are green waters dangerous for a child?

What determines the color of amniotic fluid?

Amniotic fluid, or amniotic fluid, protects the fetus floating in it for many months of pregnancy. It gently envelops the baby and facilitates his movements inside the uterus, protecting him from shock. Where does this liquid medium come from and what does it consist of? Its main component is water, released from the mother’s body and accumulated in the uterine cavity. In addition to water, amniotic fluid contains other components:

• nutrients (proteins, lipids, carbohydrates);
• hormones;
• antibodies (immunoglobulins);
• particles of the epidermis of the fetus and its hair;
• particles of original lubricant;
• salt;
• child waste products.

The composition of amniotic fluid changes as the baby matures and acquires new properties. Initially, it is mainly water from the mother's body. The fruit floating in it ripens, its organs and nerve connections develop. While inside the uterus, the baby swallows water and pees.

In the second trimester, the baby's body is covered with silky hairs, which begin to fall out in the last months of pregnancy. As the baby grows, the skin undergoes renewal, accompanied by exfoliation of dead epidermis. All these waste products gradually accumulate in a confined space around the fetus.

Fluid levels during pregnancy:

• 60 milliliters at 12 weeks;
• 175 ml at 16 weeks;
• from 400 to 1200 ml between 34 and 38 weeks.

From week 36, the volume of fluid decreases and it becomes more concentrated. It is considered normal if the liquid is clear and slightly yellow. When poured out during childbirth, it may contain a small admixture of blood.

In some cases, under the influence of a number of reasons, the discharge of cloudy green amniotic fluid may occur. What does this phenomenon mean?

Why do the waters turn green?

From 12% to 20% of all births are accompanied by the rupture of green amniotic fluid. What causes green waters during childbirth? The reason the water changes color to green is meconium, which enters the amniotic fluid.

Meconium is a sticky dark green substance consisting of stomach and intestinal secretions, amniotic fluid, bile acids, bile, blood, mucus, cholesterol, pancreatic secretions, lanugo, and a curdled substance - vernix. Meconium accumulates in the fetal intestinal lumen during the third trimester and is normally released during the newborn's first bowel movement. Sometimes the baby has a bowel movement while still in the womb, in which case meconium passes into the amniotic fluid, turning it green.

Typically, such meconium discharge is associated with various disorders in the mother-fetus system. Possible reasons for the passage of meconium into the amniotic space:

• intrauterine fetal hypoxia (in 70% of cases of hypoxia, meconium is found in the amniotic fluid);
• infectious diseases of the reproductive and urinary organs in a pregnant woman;
• consequences of stress on the fetus (maternal illness, severe concussion, etc.);
• early aging of the placenta;
• post-term pregnancy (over 41–42 weeks).

The most common of the listed reasons due to which cloudy waters form during pregnancy is oxygen deficiency in the fetus. In this condition, the tone of the child's sphincters decreases, leading to the release of meconium from the intestines. Depending on the amount of meconium released, three degrees of contamination are distinguished:

1. weak: amniotic fluid has a yellow-green or greenish tint and a transparent appearance;
2. medium: water is present in sufficient volume and can be colored khaki or green;
3. significant: the amount of amniotic fluid is less than normal, they lose their transparency, taking on the appearance of pea soup.

There are several methods for assessing the condition of amniotic fluid before birth. These methods include:

• Ultrasound (allows you to determine only the amount of water);
• amnioscopy (visual examination by transillumination);
• amniocentesis (the most accurate method for assessing fluid composition, but dangerous due to its invasiveness).

The green muddy waters have receded - what to do?

Your water usually breaks just before or during labor. If the liquid is light and clean, then there is no reason to worry. If the green water has broken, this is cause for concern. Green color is a signal indicating a problem.

As a rule, this symptom is characteristic of intrauterine fetal hypoxia: in 70% of cases of oxygen starvation, meconium is present in the amniotic fluid, and its amount is directly related to the degree of hypoxia. Obstetricians and neonatologists know this feature and examine such newborns for oxygen starvation especially carefully.

What consequences does such water threaten the fetus?

What to do if a woman in labor has passed dirty fluid with meconium (see also: what to do if her water has broken?)? Why is the presence of meconium in the amniotic space dangerous for mother and child? Possible complications:

• child swallowing amniotic fluid with meconium;
• aspiration and meconium contamination of the respiratory tract;
• increased risk of developing postpartum infection in the mother.

The most problematic and dangerous of these complications for a newborn is considered to be aspiration syndrome. Meconium can enter the respiratory tract of a child suffering from hypoxia while he is still in the womb or during the first breath of a newly born baby. Aspiration can lead to asphyxia and other problems. Children in this condition need medical attention immediately after birth.

Signs of meconium aspiration:

• labored breathing;
• wheezing;
• cyanosis of the skin of the newborn;
• visible tension of the rib muscles when inhaling.

The most accurate diagnostic method in this case is a plain chest x-ray. The resulting x-ray allows one to assess the amount of aspirated meconium and its location in the respiratory tract.

Associated symptoms that suggest meconium aspiration are a yellow-green coloration of the baby's skin and nails, as well as a greenish color of the separated placenta. This means that the fetus had prolonged intrauterine contact with contaminated amniotic fluid and there is a high probability of it entering the child’s respiratory tract.

Doctors’ first aid tactics depend on the severity of aspiration and may include the following measures:

• suctioning the contents of the upper respiratory tract, including the mouth, nose and throat;
• clearing the lower respiratory tract using an endotracheal tube;
• oxygen therapy through a mask or artificial ventilation.

The prognosis and final outcome of conditions caused by aspiration of green water can vary widely depending on the volume of meconium inhaled, the timeliness of assistance, and the initial condition of the child. In healthy newborns not weakened by hypoxia, with accidental aspiration of meconium, spontaneous physiological clearance of the respiratory tract from turbid amniotic fluid usually occurs, and this situation is resolved favorably, without leading to complications in the future.

In contrast, children who have experienced hypoxia are more likely to develop pathological consequences in the form of neonatal pneumonia or neurological symptoms. Such babies require complex therapy and long-term postnatal observation.

Reading time: 7 minutes. Views 8.1k. Published 04/09/2019

Pregnancy is a time when changes occur in the body of the expectant mother associated with the development of a new life inside her. It does not always bring joy: there are periods when a woman’s well-being worsens (toxicosis, swelling).

But sometimes the mother feels fine, but complications occur inside the uterus, affecting the baby’s health. The appearance of green amniotic fluid is one of the factors that can have negative consequences for the child.

What is amniotic fluid

Nature intended that the fetus in the mother’s belly develops in a fetal sac—the placenta—filled with fluid.

Thus, the delicate organism is protected from sudden shocks and sudden changes in the position of the parent, because the liquid does not transmit the direction of the impact, but gently distributes the created pressure throughout the entire volume. Throughout pregnancy, amniotic fluid serves as a talisman for the baby.

What are they made of, and how are they formed inside the uterus?

The basis of the placental fluid is water, which accumulates in the uterine cavity. Various substances are mixed with it, namely:

• steroids;
• nutritional elements: sugars, lipids, proteins, salts;
• protective components: immunoglobulins, antibodies;
• cells of the child's hair and skin;
• remnants of original lubricant;
• baby's discharge.

Over time, the composition of the intrauterine fluid changes as the baby develops and matures. If at first it was water, then the waste products of the fetus are added to it.

The baby pees, his skin cells fall off as he ages, and the hairs on it also fall out. All this does not disappear without a trace, but floats with the baby in the amniotic fluid.

Their number also varies depending on the stage of pregnancy:

• at the 12th week of water only 60 ml;
• by the 16th week the volume triples, reaching 175 ml;
• between 34 and 38 weeks the volume is 400-1,200 ml;
• at 36-38 weeks the amount of water decreases, they become more concentrated.

Before birth, you may see a small amount of blood in clear or yellowish water. This is normal, mom has nothing to worry about.

Why does amniotic fluid turn green?

During normal pregnancy, the water around the baby is not green, but transparent. A change in the color of the amniotic fluid indicates a pathological process during pregnancy.

Hypoxia

According to statistics, in almost 20% of births the color of the waste water is green.

The most common cause of discoloration is low oxygen saturation in the blood of the developing fetus.

This pathology is called intrauterine hypoxia. If there is not enough oxygen, the baby's sphincter relaxes and the contents of the rectum (meconium) come out - this is one of the reasons why the amniotic fluid is green. 70% of cases of diagnosed fetal hypoxia are caused by this.

Meconium

Meconium is a substance that accumulates in the intestines of a developing fetus during the third trimester.

It consists of:

• vernix;
• secretions of the stomach, intestines;
• amniotic fluid;
• pancreatic secretions;
• lanugo;
• cheesy substance.

If the baby has had a bowel movement, its contents will be released into the external environment, giving it a green tint.

Meconium ends up in amniotic fluid for rarer reasons.

1. If the fetus has congenital developmental anomalies leading to the fact that the sphincter does not hold feces inside the intestines.
2. Infant stress transmitted from mother.

Deterioration of the condition of the vessels of the fetal sac, including blood vessels, leads to insufficient oxygen supply to the baby. Hypoxia develops, which leads to meconium entering the placental fluid.

Other reasons

Another explanation for why the waters are green is.

The placenta has its own “lifespan”, after which decomposition processes begin to occur in it.

Pathology of blood circulation in the maternal pelvic organs, as well as systemic cardiovascular diseases cause the water to change color already in the first or second trimester of pregnancy.

Therefore, it is so important for a woman expecting the birth of a baby to undergo the prescribed examinations in a timely manner.

If mom gets sick, her condition worsens. It is important to take measures for a speedy cure, because her body will first take care of herself, and only then the health of the child inside her.

This is a law of nature: an adult body will still be able to bear more than one baby, but raising a newborn to adulthood requires a lot of resources.

Diseases such as:

• cystitis;
• vaginitis;
• infectious diseases;
• pneumonia, bronchitis;
• gastritis

can lead to intrauterine hypoxia of the child.

For a mother, caring for own health and prevention of possible diseases.

Interestingly, even the wrong diet can turn the amniotic fluid green, for example, eating peas or apple juice.

How to diagnose amniotic fluid

A study of the condition of the mother and child is carried out in order to identify deviations in the baby’s development at the earliest stages. Early detection of discrepancies in the normal course of pregnancy can save not only the health, but sometimes the life of the baby.

To determine the color and condition of the amniotic fluid, instrumental studies are carried out.

Typically one of three methods is used:

1. Ultrasound– the very first step in diagnosing the course of pregnancy. An ultrasound will not show what color the amniotic fluid is, but based on indirect signs, the doctor will be able to make a conclusion about the condition of the child. Thus, a decrease in the volume of amniotic fluid indicates that the child’s gestation period has been exceeded. Determination of the density and uniformity of the composition of the amniotic fluid (clots) allows us to draw a conclusion about infection. These factors increase the likelihood that meconium will pass from the intestines to the outside.
2. Helps to recognize the exact color of amniotic fluid amnioscopy– examination using an amnioscope. The instrument is carefully inserted into the woman’s vagina in order to determine the volume and degree of coloration of the water.
3. In case of serious indications, material is collected for study - amniocentesis. This method requires the insertion of an instrument into the placenta, which can cause unwanted complications, so it is prescribed only when absolutely necessary. Microbiological examination of a liquid provides information not only about its color, but also about its composition.

The intensity of meconium staining of amniotic fluid is of three types.

What are the consequences of green waters?

Amniotic fluid usually breaks before the baby is born or during childbirth. This often happens when future mom is at home. If the waters are clear and light, then there is nothing to worry about: you need to calmly get ready and go to the maternity ward.

And when the discharged liquid is cloudy and has a greenish tint, this is a reason to worry. It would be best to hurry to the maternity hospital, because a change in color to green indicates problems.

Danger to child

We have studied the reasons for the appearance of green water, now we will list the possible consequences.

If a woman’s green water breaks before giving birth, this means that the baby has been in it for some time. Before being born, the baby may swallow some liquid.

The danger is that its absorption clogs the child’s respiratory system, and aspiration (sucking in) of the pulmonary tract occurs. Meconium affects the tissue inside respiratory system, causing a response. Urgent resuscitation is required.

As a result, complications develop:

• the alveoli (lung cells) become inflamed, leading to pulmonary pneumonitis, which can lead to respiratory failure;
• the lung tissue collapses, the lung “collapses” due to the decomposition of the surfactant, which is responsible for the surface tension of the alveoli;
• Mechanical clogging of the bronchi with meconium prevents air from entering the lungs, and they “turn off.”

In premature babies, the lung structure is not yet developed.

Surfactant, which aids in the absorption and utilization of oxygen, is not produced in sufficient quantities, leading to neonatal respiratory distress syndrome.

Conclusion

Urgent measures taken by the medical staff of the maternity hospital help to avoid serious consequences of green waters during childbirth.

Even before the newborn takes his first breath, it is necessary to suck out the swallowed amniotic fluid from his mouth. If meconium is found in the lungs, they are washed to clear them.

If the broken water is green, but labor does not begin, the doctor decides on an emergency caesarean section. This measure is necessary to avoid deterioration of the baby’s health.